Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible has declared Booker’s Rye the “World Whisky of the Year” for 2017.

[icarus625]

Thoughts? I was lucky enough to find a bottle for retail price but have yet to open it. My wife and I are expecting our first child (due date is March 8, 2017), hence I have now decided to wait till March of next year to open it with friends & family. One of the most important days of my life will be celebrated with the "Whiskey of the Year"...take the title for whatever it's worth to you. I know it's subjective and a personal opinion, but it sounds nice:)

[camduncan]

Tried some on the weekend and found it to be spectacular... More like a rye heavy bourbon than a typical rye IMO as it had a sweeter finish than I was expecting and the burn was short lived. 

[icarus625]

I almost tried some this weekend when I was in Nashville, but they wanted $80 for a 2 ounce pour. 

[fishnbowljoe]

Just now, icarus625 said:

I almost tried some this weekend when I was in Nashville, but they wanted $80 for a 2 ounce pour. 

 

Ouch! 

[GeeTen]

Sounds like my Yamazaki Sherry Cask last year!  Guess Jim likes the expensive stuff . . .    

[portwood]

3 minutes ago, GeeTen said:

Guess Jim likes the expensive stuff . . .    

 

Not exactly, LOL

last year he picked Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye ... as close to bottom shelf as you can get ;-)

[GeeTen]

Oops, sorry - you're right!  The Yamazaki was his 2015 Whiskey of the Year, IIRC.   

Edited October 17, 2016 by GeeTen

[smokinjoe]

11 minutes ago, GeeTen said:

Sounds like my Yamazaki Sherry Cask last year!  Guess Jim likes the expensive stuff . . .    

Actually, his pick last year was Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye priced at a paltry $28, or so.

[flahute]

I tried some a couple months ago and while I found it to be very good, I still wouldn't pay $300 retail for it.

Not surprised to see it as whiskey of the year.

[GeeTen]

2 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

Actually, his pick last year was Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye priced at a paltry $28, or so.

 

Yeah, Portwood already corrected me above!  Must be the double dram of ETL clouding my feeble and old brain tonite.     

[garbanzobean]

Jim Murray is the 2016 Presidential Race of the whiskey reviewer world.

[Niner Outlaw]

I know a couple of places that have some, and I'd really like to try it, but I can't bring myself to pay $289 for a bottle of rye. Hell, I thought Michter's Barrell Strength rye was hard to justify at $90...and I LOVED it.

[GaryT]

I was fortunate enough to try it once, and I can't remember a new rye whiskey that I liked better this year for sure.  Definitely tasty stuff, although I couldn't pull the trigger on one.  Was glad to see CB Flaming Heart get recognized (which for my money, I'd take over the Booker's Rye at 1/3 the price!)

[Kpiz]

I have not tasted it (and did not buy a bottle), so I cannot comment on taste or whether it deserves any awards. However, I have one question: Does anyone know if Jim Murray was one of the whiskey writers/bloggers (including Chuck Cowdery, Blake from Bourbonr, The Whiskey Jug) who took part in a promotional event for Booker's Rye where they were brought to the distillery, tasted the rye, helped label some of the bottles, etc.? I'm not implying anything, just curious.

[tanstaafl2]

35 minutes ago, Kpiz said:

I have not tasted it (and did not buy a bottle), so I cannot comment on taste or whether it deserves any awards. However, I have one question: Does anyone know if Jim Murray was one of the whiskey writers/bloggers (including Chuck Cowdery, Blake from Bourbonr, The Whiskey Jug) who took part in a promotional event for Booker's Rye where they were brought to the distillery, tasted the rye, helped label some of the bottles, etc.? I'm not implying anything, just curious.

 

I don't know the answer but it sounded like it was a pretty local group. But someone who was there would probably have to provide the details of the guest list. Maybe Chuck will see this or you could PM him to point him this way presuming he is willing to say. Or email one of the others who was known to attend and ask.

[jsrudd]

6 hours ago, Kpiz said:

I have not tasted it (and did not buy a bottle), so I cannot comment on taste or whether it deserves any awards. However, I have one question: Does anyone know if Jim Murray was one of the whiskey writers/bloggers (including Chuck Cowdery, Blake from Bourbonr, The Whiskey Jug) who took part in a promotional event for Booker's Rye where they were brought to the distillery, tasted the rye, helped label some of the bottles, etc.? I'm not implying anything, just curious.

In the Bourbonr write up, he says that the same group selected a Booker's roundtable batch and then did the Booker's rye tasting and bottle labeling. According to the Bourbonr write-up, the Booker's roundtable batch was selected by: "Fred Noe (Beam Master Distiller), Toogie, Chuck Cowdery, Tony Sachs, John McCarthy and myself." 

 

Based on that, I don't think Jim Murray was included. 

[Kpiz]

15 hours ago, jsrudd said:

In the Bourbonr write up, he says that the same group selected a Booker's roundtable batch and then did the Booker's rye tasting and bottle labeling. According to the Bourbonr write-up, the Booker's roundtable batch was selected by: "Fred Noe (Beam Master Distiller), Toogie, Chuck Cowdery, Tony Sachs, John McCarthy and myself." 

 

Based on that, I don't think Jim Murray was included. 

Thanks jsrudd, I didn't make that connection.

[RWBadley]

My understanding is Jim Murray makes his home in KY for at least part time. I wouldn't be surprised if he were to be invited to pick a batch for the roundtable.

[ThirstyinOhio]

I am not surprised at all by this pick.  While pricey, I feel it is one of the best releases this year.  It drinks much more like a bourbon than a rye and I find it incredibly well balanced. 

[starhopper]

Still some bottles available here at my local liquor store for $349 - just can't bring myself to spend that much on a bottle of booze!

[Kepler]

I have a question for those of you who said you wouldn't pay the approximately $300-ish MSRP for Booker's Rye:

 

What's the most you've ever paid for a bottle of bourbon or rye?

[Paddy]

27 minutes ago, Kepler said:

I have a question for those of you who said you wouldn't pay the approximately $300-ish MSRP for Booker's Rye:

 

What's the most you've ever paid for a bottle of bourbon or rye?

That's another thread....

[Harry in WashDC]

On 10/17/2016 at 6:55 PM, portwood said:

 

Not exactly, LOL

last year he picked Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye ... as close to bottom shelf as you can get ;-)

LOL.  Yeah, I have a bottle of that - I bought it on the way home from a tavern I like.  What was I thinking????